419 scam: "MR.GODWIN EMEFIELE" <central_bank_central2@yahoo.com> Attention Beneficiary,

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "western union" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "money gram" (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "(efcc)" (This name is often mentioned in money recovery scams (re-scam): the real EFCC does not contact victims to offer to get their money back because that is near impossible. )
- "central bank of nigeria" (the name of a person or institution often appearing in 419 scams)
This email message is a 419 scam. Please see our 419 FAQ for more details on such scams.
Western Union money transfer is completely untraceable and therefore is *not* safe to use with anyone you do not know personally. It is the preferred method of online criminals to collect money from their victims.
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- infoinfooffice04@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "MR.GODWIN EMEFIELE" <central_bank_central2@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: "MR.GODWIN EMEFIELE" <infoinfooffice04@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2014 04:13:52 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: Attention Beneficiary,

Attention Beneficiary,

How are you today? We hope that you are in good health.This is to officially announce toÂ you that some scam Syndicates ere apprehended in Nigeria few years ago and after several interrogations and tortures your details were among those mentioned by some of the scam Syndicates as one of the victims of their operations.

The Federal Government of Nigeria through provisions in Section 419 of the Criminal Code came up with punitive measures to deter and punish offenders who deals with the Advance Fee Fraud section dealing mainly with cases of advance fee fraud(commonly called 419) such as obtaining by false pretense through different fraudulent schemes e.g. contract scam, credit card scam,inheritance scam, loan scam, lottery scam,marriage scam. Immigration scam, counterfeiting and religious scam. It also investigates cyber crime cases.

After proper investigations and research at Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram office to know if you have truly sent money to the scam Syndicates through Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram, your name was found in Western UnionÂ Money Transfer database amongst those that have sent money through Western Union Money Transfer to Nigeria and this proves that you have truly had been swindled by those unscrupulous persons by sending money to them in the course of getting one fund or the other that is not real,right now we are working hand in hand with Western Union and Interpol to track every fraudsters down, do not respond to their e-mails,letters and phone calls any longer they are scam imposters and you should be very careful to avoid you being a victim to fraudsters any longer because they have nothing to offer you but to rip-off what you have worked hard to earn.

In this regard these meeting which was held between the Board of Directors of The Economic and Financial CrimesÂ Commission (EFCC) and as a consequence of our investigations it was agreed that the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (US$150,000) should be transferred to you through the ATM payment mode out of the funds that Federal Government ofÂ Nigeria has set aside as a compensation to everyone who have by one wayÂ or the other sent money to fraudsters in Nigeria.

We have therefore instructed you that we have submitted your details to these Customer Care Agent by name of Rev.Dr.Charles Johnson who is presently in-charge in remitting your long awaited payment to you so that your fund can be transferred to you via any preferred means you wish to receive it.

Kindly Contact him through these email address stated below and inform him about this notification letter and the transfer of your fund so that he can take full recognition of your awareness.

Name:Rev.Dr.Charles Johnson
Email:infoinfooffice04@gmail.com

You are to reconfirm to him your personal information's below such as.

NAME IN FULL......................
YOUR CELL NUMBER......................
CONTACT ADDRESS ..................
SCANNED COPY OF YOUR PICTURE...............
OCCUPATION.............
AGE............
SEX...........

Rev.Dr.Charles Johnson is well informed about your compensation,contact him immediately without any delay.He is waiting to hear from you. Most importantly, do note that your early response to this development will be appreciated.

We shall be waiting to hearing from you been certain that your response will be that you are satisfied and willing to claim your US$150,000 Reimbursement funds.

Regards.

Mr.Godwin Emefiele
Governor Central Bank of Nigeria

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam